Phlox paniculata

Phlox paniculata L.

Fall phlox, Perennial phlox

Synonym(s):

Fall phlox is a showy clump-former, reaching a height of 3-4 ft. The pink, lavender, or rarely white flowers are borne in a 4-8 in. wide, terminal cluster. A pyramidal cluster of white to pink or lavender flowers atop a stout, smooth, erect stem. The stemís narrow, oval leaves are 4-7 in. long.

If found in the wilds beyond its natural range, this species has probably escaped from cultivation. The plant has been widely used as a medicinal herb; the leaf extract is used as a laxative and for treating boils. Many color forms are found in gardens. The very similar Large-leaved Phlox (P. amplifolia) has a hairy stem, only 6-15 leaf pairs below the flower cluster, and a hairless corolla tube; it is found in the southern Appalachian Mountains.